Daydreaming is easy, healthy, and free!
Here at AAV Travel, we would like to give your mind a break and the opportunity to enjoy and learn more about the world from the comfort of your home.

TASTE • LISTEN • EXPERIENCE • READ • HAPPY HOUR

Aloha melts love, compassion, kindness, and grace into one welcome!  This post is dedicated to the island nation with the most isolated population center in the world, its people, and their Aloha spirit.  #tourismstrong

Given Hawai’i’s long history and influences its food traditions and cuisines are plentiful. Thanks to the abundance of seafood as well as fertile soil, the island nation provides plenty of fresh food options. From fine dining to typical Hawai’ian eateries, there is something for everyone.

Helena’s Hawaiian Food is a local, no-frills, homestyle eaterie, located in Honolulu. Check out Elaine Katuyoshi, talking about Hawai’ian food traditions and how they are to be enjoyed.

An authentic and easy dish to make at home is HAUPIA. The Hawai’ian coconut pudding is a popular dessert staple at Luau’s and can easily be made at home!

Ingredients:

• One can of coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons of  sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons of cornstarch

For instructions, check out TabiEats’ video!

The idea of Hawaiian music immediately conjures the sounds of paradise. Beautiful, dreamy music that sways you, just like a palm tree in the wind or gently lapping waves. Listening to it instantly transports you to a different world.

Have a listen to our playlist, or check out the Kapa Radio’s live stream for an even more authentic experience.

Hawai’i’s incredible landscape makes the perfect backdrop for many movies as well as tv series. Ka’a’awa Valley on O’ahu is the set for over 50 movies, from Jurassic Park to Godzilla, and the series Lost.

If you are up for some aloha spirit, we suggest checking out these movies and shows. They all feature beautiful landscapes and conjure a feel for the islands.

• The Descendants: The sometimes humorous and sometimes tragic journey for Matt King, an indifferent husband, and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The movie is set in O’ahu as well as Kaua’i.
• Soul Surfer:  Bethany Hamilton’s story as a surfer and her recovery after a horrific shark attack. The North Shores of both O’ahu and Kaua’i, famous for their big wave surfing, make for spectacular backdrops.
• Aloha: Dubbed a romantic film comedy, this movie has a very attractive cast and much less drama than one might expect. Although seemingly light, it goes much deeper. Set on O’ahu, it features gorgeous scenery and captures the island’s spirit.
• Blue Hawaii: This classic musical comedy features Elvis, charming his way through the beautiful islands of Hawai’i. The main filming location is O’ahu, but you’ll also see a few shots from Kaua’i.
• Hawai’i Five-O: Whether you enjoy the original series or the newer version, Hawai’i Five-O will take you on a whirlwind of spectacular island locations.
• Magnum PI: Experience 80ies O’ahu with this classic detective series.

If you want to do some daydreaming and possibly plan a visit, start with National Geographic’s top ten highlights.

Many of our clients wish to skip O’ahu or spend just a day to visit Pearl Harbor. This NY Times – “36 Hours in Honolulu” clip will give you a lovely feel for Honolulu, but also for some other things to do on the island (there are many more). Plus, it features one of my favorite hotels.

One of our older posts highlights the different features each island has and allows you to choose the right island according to your interests.

If you love reading and are ready to go deeper and learn more about the country as well as its history, culture, and behind the scenes, there are some excellent books for you!

Hawaiian Mythology by Martha Beckwith
Ku and Hina-man and woman-were the great ancestral gods of heaven and earth for the ancientHawaiians. They were life’s fruitfulness and all the generations of mankind, both those who are to come and those already born.

The Hawaiian gods were like great chiefs from far lands who visited among the people, entering their daily lives sometimes as humans or animals, sometimes taking residence in a stone or wooden idol. As years passed, the families of gods grew and included the trickster Maui, who snared the sun, and fiery Pele of the volcano. For more…

Hawaiian Antiquities by David Malo
Born in 1795 and raised among chiefs, priests, artisans, and scholars in the court of Kamehameha I, David Malo provides an important and authentic source on the ancient beliefs and practices of Hawaiians. Malo was among the first Hawaiians to study reading and writing with the missionaries. For more…

Dreams from my Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama
In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father—a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man—has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey—first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother’s family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family, confronts the bitter truth of his father’s life, and at last reconciles his divided inheritance. For more…

Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
Seven-year-old Rachel is forcibly removed from her family’s 1890s Honolulu home when she contracts leprosy and is placed in a settlement, where she loses a series of new friends before new medical discoveries enable her to reenter the world. For more…

Shark Dialogues by Kiana Davenport
Beginning with the fateful meeting of a nineteenth-century Yankee sailor and the runaway daughter of a Tahitian chief, and sweeping over a century and a half of passionate, turbulent Hawaiian history, Shark Dialogues takes its place as the first novel to do justice to the rich heritage and cruel conflicts of the beautiful and beleaguered islands and their people. At its center are Pono, the magnificent pure-blooded matriarch and seer, and her four mixed-blood granddaughters seeking to come to terms with the contradictions of their ancestries and the hungers of their hearts. For more…

The Mai Tai is Hawai’i’s most famous Tiki drink. It’s the islands’ version of a rum punch and each year, Hawai’i Magazin’s Reader’s Choice Best of the Best, awards five bars for being the best places to sip a Mai Tai.

Duke’s Waikiki is one of those bars, and Matthew shares his recipe and explains, how to make the fruity drink.

Ingredients:

• 0.4 oz Orgeat Syrup
• 0.5 oz Orange Curacao
• 0.5 oz Gold Rum
• 3 oz freshly squeezed POGG juice (pineapple, passion, orange, and guava)
• 1.25 oz Dark Rum
• Garnish with a pineapple and parasol

Please stay safe and healthy, wash your hands and practice social distancing as long as it is necessary.

Being able to travel is an incredible gift. The experience can open our eyes to the unique cultures and spellbinding beauty of the natural world. But with this gift comes a responsibility – to protect the world as we know it. Please behave responsibly and show respect!

STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is the owner of Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm specialized in creating customized travel itineraries. Originally from Switzerland, she started exploring the world at a young age and continues to expand her knowledge every year.

To plan a trip contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com

The first thing to do is asking yourself: What do I imagine my Hawaiian vacation to be like? What kind of pictures do I see in my mind?

• Have you always wanted to see a live volcano?
• Do you picture hula dancers on the beach?
• Have you always wanted to play on one of the many phenomenal golf courses?
• Or, are you a history buff and Pearl Harbor is a must? Image credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson

Once you have a good idea of what it is you are looking for, check out the grid we created. This check-list allows you to determine what experiences are available on which island. Check the ones you are looking for, see on which island/s they are available. The island that offers the highest amount of experiences you are looking for should be your top pick.
You should leave enough time to properly experience an island. The Island of Hawaii for example does not only have a lot to offer but is also quite big. Travel times are longer and you need a couple of days, if you want to experience most of what the island has to offer. If you only have a week, I would suggest sticking to one island. If you have 10 days or more, a combination of 2 islands is a great option. If you have limited time but want to see them all, you might be interested in one of the cruises.

Image credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson

Every island is distinct in what it offers (from urban to rural and private), which makes choosing the right one a little difficult. Hopefully our grid makes finding the one that suits you best a little easier. No matter which moku (island) you decide to visit (or if you choose to island hop!) you will have an experience of a lifetime.

Written by AAV Travel’s Hawaii Expert

STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is the Hawaii Specialist at Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm specialized in creating and customizing personalized travel itineraries. Having personally travelled to Hawaii she can help you create a wonderful experience. You can contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com

Kauai Attractions: 

Napali Coast – 17 miles of panoramic views of the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean. Picture this: velvet green cliffs and cascading waterfalls. Does it get any better?

Waimea Canyon – Called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” it stretches for 14 miles, one mile wide and over 3,600 feet deep! The lookouts provide panoramic views of deep valleys, gorges and vistas that for on for miles.

Kauai’s North Shore – Home to the small town of Hanalei which is filled with colorful shops, restaurants and art galleries. Hanalei is also famous for the beautiful taro fields which you will see at the foot of Hanalei’s green mountains.

Kauai’s West Side – At the end of Waimea Canyon you will find the Kalalau Valley Lookout. From there you can see the majestic Napali Coast rise from the sea. It is a beautiful spot to observe light changes which make your view look different from moment to moment.

Lihue – known for its many beaches, e.g. Kalapaki, this area is great for windsurfing and body boarding. The Lihue area also has numerous historical spots like for example Alekoko, a roughly 1000 year old aquaculture reservoir or Kilohana, a historic plantation.

Wailua Falls – Not far from Lihue you will find the Wailua Falls. These falls are best know from the tv series “Fantasy Island”. They can be seen from the roadside and are easily accessible. Morning visits are best as you might be treated to a rainbow over the fall.

Poipu beach – located on Kauai’s South side, Poipu is known for it sunny weather and beautiful beaches. It is a great place for all things vacation. Whether you want to lounge on the beach, snorkel, go shopping or try one of the many excellent restaurants. During the months of December to May it is not uncommon to see humpback whales spouting offshore.

Kauai Surfing – Poipu Beach, Nawili Harbor in Lihue, Hanalei Bay on the North Shore and Makua “Tunnels” Beach are Kauai’s surfing hot spots. You can watch surfers hit a wave or try it out yourself. November through February waves are particularly massive and surfing is best left to experienced wave riders.

Written by STEFANIE PICHONNAT

STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is the Hawaiian Travel Specialist at Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm specialized in creating and customizing personalized travel itineraries. You can contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com

in conjunction with

STEPHANIE JELLETTE

Stephanie Jellett is interning as a travel writer and social media manager at AAV Travel. You can contact her at stephanieljellett@gmail.com